About this tabulation

General information

Catalogue number :	97F0021XCB2001002
Release date :	May 13, 2003
Topic :	Social and Economic Characteristics of Individuals, Families and Households
Data dimensions :	Geography (Geographic Index) Family Structure (3A) Work Activity of Parent (9) Age Groups of Children (5)

Note

Special Note: Census Family

Refers to a married couple (with or without children of either or both spouses), a couple living common-law (with or without children of either or both partners) or a lone parent of any marital status, with at least one child living in the same dwelling. A couple living common-law may be of opposite or same sex. 'Children' in a census family include grandchildren living with their grandparent(s) but with no parents present. For additional information, please refer to the 2001 Census Dictionary, Catalogue Number 92-378-XIE or 92-378-XPE.

Special Note: Changes to Family Concepts for the 2001 Census

For the 1996 Census, the definition of census family was as follows:

Refers to a now-married couple (with or without never-married sons and/or daughters of either or both spouses), a couple living common-law (with or without never-married sons and/or daughters of either or both partners) or a lone-parent of any marital status, with at least one never-married son or daughter living in the same dwelling.

This reflected a concept that had not changed since 1976. However, during the planning for the 2001 Census, it was decided that some changes were required, due to the following factors: (1) changes to federal and provincial legislation putting same-sex couples on an equal footing with opposite-sex common-law couples (most notably Bill C-23, the Modernization of Benefits and Obligations Act, which was passed by the Government of Canada in 2000); (2) recommendations by the United Nations as part of a process of standardization of concepts for the 2000-2001 round of censuses in member countries; and (3) a significant number of persons less than 15 years of age classified as 'non-family persons' in previous censuses.

As a result, the census family concept for the 2001 Census reflects the following changes:

- Two persons living in a same-sex common-law relationship, along with any of their children residing in the household, are considered a census family.

- Children in a census family can have been previously married (as long as they are not currently living with a spouse or common-law partner). Previously, they had to be 'never-married'.

- A grandchild living in a three-generation household where the parent (middle generation) is never-married is, contrary to previous censuses, now considered as a child in the census family of his or her parent, provided the grandchild is not living with his or her own spouse, common-law partner, or child. Traditionally, the census family usually consisted of the two older generations.

- A grandchild of another household member, where a middle-generation parent is not present, is now considered as a child in the census family of his or her grandparent, provided the grandchild is not living with his or her own spouse, common-law partner, or child. Traditionally, such a grandchild would not be considered as a member of a census family.

The last three changes listed (definition of 'child'), together, result in a 1.5% increase in the total number of census families, and in a 10.1% increase in the number of lone-parent families. The inclusion of same-sex couples results in a 0.4% increase in the number of census families at the national level.

The term economic family refers to a group of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling and are related to each other by blood, marriage, common-law or adoption. This definition has not changed for 2001. The only effect of conceptual changes on economic families is that same-sex partners are now considered to be common-law partners. Thus they are considered related and members of the same economic family.

Outside of the 'family universe', there are two related concepts that are affected by the change in the census family definition: common-law status and household type. Prior to 2001, two people living together as husband and wife without being legally married to each other were considered to be living common-law. For 2001, this has been expanded to include persons living in a same-sex partnership. The concept of household type refers to the basic division of private households into family and non-family households. Since it is based on the census family concept, the household type (whether a household is 'family' or 'non-family') is affected by the change. Also, the detailed classification of this variable is affected, since married couples and common-law couples were broken down into those 'without never-married sons or daughters' and 'with never-married sons or daughters'. For 2001 this reads 'without children' and 'with children', with the attendant change in meaning.

For additional information, please refer to the 2001 Census Dictionary, Catalogue Number 92-378-XIE or 92-378-XPE.

Special Note: Non-permanent Residents

In 1991, 1996 and 2001, the Census of Population enumerated both permanent and non-permanent residents of Canada. Non-permanent residents are persons who held a student or employment authorization, Minister's permit, or who were refugee claimants, at the time of the census. Family members living with these persons are also classified as non-permanent residents.

Prior to 1991, only permanent residents of Canada were included in the census. (The only exception to this occurred in 1941.) Non-permanent residents were considered foreign residents and were not enumerated.

Today in Canada, non-permanent residents make up a significant segment of the population, especially in several census metropolitan areas. Their presence can affect the demand for such government services as health care, schooling, employment programs and language training. The inclusion of non-permanent residents in the census facilitates comparisons with provincial and territorial statistics (marriages, divorces, births and deaths) which include this population. In addition, this inclusion of non-permanent residents brings Canadian practice closer to the UN recommendation that long-term residents (persons living in a country for one year or longer) be enumerated in the census.

According to the 1996 Census, there were 166,715 non-permanent residents in Canada, representing 0.6% of the total population. There were slightly more non-permanent residents in Canada at the time of the 2001 Census: 198,645 non-permanent residents, or 0.7% of the total population.

Total population counts, as well as counts for all variables, are affected by this change in the census universe. Users should be especially careful when comparing data from 1991, 1996 or 2001 with data from previous censuses in geographic areas where there is a concentration of non-permanent residents. Such areas include the major metropolitan areas in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia.

Although every attempt has been made to enumerate non-permanent residents, factors such as language difficulties, the reluctance to complete a government form or to understand the need to participate may have affected the enumeration of this population.

For additional information, please refer to the 2001 Census Dictionary, Catalogue Number 92-378-XIE or 92-378-XPE.

Special Note: Nunavut (1)

Data from the 2001 Census are available for Nunavut, the new territory that came into effect on April 1, 1999.

Standard data products released only at the Canada/Province/Territory geographic levels will not contain data for Nunavut for the census years prior to 2001.

Standard data products released at the Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) and Census Agglomeration (CA) geographic levels will contain data for Nunavut for the 2001, 1996 and/or 1991 Censuses.

The 1996 and 1991 CMA/CA data have been adjusted to reflect as closely as possible the 2001 CMA/CA geographic boundaries. This has been done to facilitate data comparisons using the 2001 geographic boundaries.

For additional information, please refer to the 2001 Census Dictionary, Catalogue Number 92-378-XIE or 92-378-XPE.

Data table

Select data categories for this table

Geography Geographic index Canada Newfoundland and Labrador - Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador St. John's Grand Falls-Windsor Gander Corner Brook Labrador City Prince Edward Island - Île-du-Prince-Édouard Charlottetown Summerside Nova Scotia - Nouvelle-Écosse Halifax Kentville Truro New Glasgow Cape Breton New Brunswick - Nouveau-Brunswick Moncton Saint John Fredericton Bathurst Campbellton Campbellton (N.B. part - Partie N.-B.) Campbellton (Que. part - Partie Qc) Edmundston Quebec - Québec Matane Rimouski Rivière-du-Loup Baie-Comeau Chicoutimi - Jonquière Alma Dolbeau-Mistassini Sept-Îles Québec Saint-Georges Thetford Mines Sherbrooke Magog Cowansville Victoriaville Trois-Rivières Shawinigan La Tuque Drummondville Granby Saint-Hyacinthe Sorel-Tracy Joliette Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Montréal Salaberry-de-Valleyfield Lachute Val-d'Or Amos Rouyn-Noranda Ontario Cornwall Hawkesbury Hawkesbury (Que. part - Partie Qc) Hawkesbury (Ont. part - Partie Ont.) Ottawa - Hull Ottawa - Hull (Que. part - Partie Qc) Ottawa - Hull (Ont. part - Partie Ont.) Brockville Pembroke Pembroke (Que. part - Partie Qc) Pembroke (Ont. part - Partie Ont.) Petawawa Kingston Belleville Cobourg Port Hope and Hope Peterborough Kawartha Lakes Oshawa Toronto Hamilton St. Catharines - Niagara Kitchener Brantford Woodstock Tillsonburg Norfolk Guelph Stratford London Chatham-Kent Leamington Windsor Sarnia Owen Sound Collingwood Barrie Orillia Midland North Bay Greater Sudbury Elliot Lake Haileybury Timmins Sault Ste. Marie Thunder Bay Kenora Manitoba Winnipeg Portage la Prairie Brandon Thompson Saskatchewan Regina Yorkton Moose Jaw Swift Current Saskatoon North Battleford Prince Albert Estevan Alberta Medicine Hat Brooks Lethbridge Calgary Red Deer Camrose Edmonton Lloydminster Lloydminster (Sask. part - Partie Sask.) Lloydminster (Alta. part - Partie Alb.) Cold Lake Grande Prairie Wood Buffalo Wetaskiwin British Columbia - Colombie-Britannique Cranbrook Penticton Kelowna Vernon Kamloops Chilliwack Abbotsford Vancouver Squamish Victoria Duncan Nanaimo Parksville Port Alberni Courtenay Campbell River Powell River Williams Lake Quesnel Prince Rupert Kitimat Terrace Prince George Dawson Creek Fort St. John Yukon Territory - Territoire du Yukon Whitehorse Northwest Territories - Territoires du Nord-Ouest Yellowknife Nunavut

Family Structure (3A) Total - Lone-parent families Female parent Male parent

This table details work activity of parent , age groups of children and family structure for children under 18 years of age in lone-parent families in Canada^{Footnote 1}

Work Activity of Parent (9)	Age Groups of Children (5)
	Total - Age groups of children	0-4 years	5-9 years	10-14 years	15-17 years
Total - Work activity of parentFootnote 2	1,280,910	256,300	365,675	407,050	251,895
Did not work in 2000	333,010	97,170	96,665	89,540	49,630
Worked 1-48 weeks	396,000	88,865	115,610	122,600	68,920
Full time	258,735	54,755	74,930	80,955	48,095
Part time	137,265	34,110	40,680	41,650	20,825
Worked 49-52 weeks	551,900	70,260	153,395	194,905	133,335
Full time	480,860	58,265	132,655	170,580	119,365
Part time	71,045	11,995	20,745	24,330	13,970
Average weeks worked	42.0	36.8	41.6	43.3	44.7

Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 97F0021XCB2001002.

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• 2006 Census analysis series:
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